THE GRAPE. 



53 



considerably larger than from vines not girdled and of just as good 

 quality. But on the other hand, some very careful experiments 

 made by Dr. Jabez Fisher, of Pitchburg, Mass., seem, in his words, 

 to show that "whenever a grape will ripen fairly well by na^ui-al 

 processes girdling is a complete draft upon the future withour. 

 prospect of means to pay it through the gains of the present " The 

 operation consists in taking out a ring of bark one- fourth inch or 

 more in width, at any time during the growing season, but gener- 

 ally soon after the berries are weU set. For this purpose a special 

 tool is often used, which makes two cuts and takes out the bark 

 with one movement (Fig. 38). If the whole vine is girdled at the 



Fig. 38. 

 Girdling knife, 

 made of two 

 thin steei 

 blades icith 

 cleaner at a. 



--•:rry 



Fig. 39— Girdled 

 Cane. A, ivherermg 

 of bark has been re- 

 moved. B and E, 

 where the vine is to 

 be pru'U'd in the 

 fall, thus cufting 

 offthegird'ed wood 

 entirely C and D. 

 growth fr'nn re- 

 mainingnuds infol- 

 lowing year, nthen 

 D should be girdled 



surface of the ground it will soon show great weakness, so when 

 practiced at all it should be done by girdling the lateral canes ; 

 those that are to be cut away entirely when the vine is pruned 

 (Fig. 39). In sections where early autumn frosts are common it is 

 frequently desirable to try this method of advancing the period of 

 ripening. 



Diseases.— There are many diseases which may at times 

 attack the grape, but only two are commonly met with in the 

 northwestern states, where on account of the dryness of the air 

 there is less trouble from fungus diseases than where the climate 

 is more humid. 



